Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments
by Black Fuego Rio
Summary: Before they were married. Before they adopted Eri. Before they were a full family, it was only Izuku and Ochako. Simply the two of them living their life together as heroes-in-training with a cat by their side. Though their time as a simple trio was short, it was still filled to the brim with memories that they would never forget. What are they, you ask? Come and read to find out.
1. Theme 1: After Work

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction in dedication to a much grander work. As such, the author does not own the rights to any characters within this story, and any correlation between any original characters that may appear and people in the real world are merely coincidental.

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

1st Moment: An Average Day for Average Heroes

"Good work today, everyone. We have managed to apprehend nearly every escapee. There are a few stragglers out there, but they will be apprehended by the underground heroes soon enough. Now you are all free to go. Get as much rest as you can. We have been quite busy lately with the rise of attacks. Make sure you are at one hundred percent when you show up tomorrow and be prepared to give it your all. Am I understood, everyone?"

"Yes, Lady Ryukyu!"

"Very good. Dismissed."

Ochako 'Uravity' Uraraka, sidekick and recent graduate of the prestigious UA Hero School, saluted and nodded with the rest of her fellow peers before walking out of the large meeting room. She then let out a tired sigh as she gently bobbed one of her shoulder blades. She knew the hero business was going to be rough, her first year of UA was prime evidence of that, but even now she still underestimated just how bad it could be at times and how quickly things could go south. She figured she'd be used to events going ary, especially considering who her precious people are, but life still has a way to surprise her, it seems.

_I'm just happy that Deku didn't get caught in this whole mess. Things would've probably escalated if he was involved. He's such a trouble magnet._ The tired woman thought with an amused giggle while shaking her head. _I hope he's enjoying his day off. He works so hard in both the agency and for Gran Torino that he barely has any time to relax. Then again, I can't really talk now since I help with Gunhead's new dojo here in town. Speaking of which, I still need to decide who to pick for that martial arts tournament that's happening soon. I probably need to consult Gunhead himself to figure that out. Either that or-_

"Ribbit. Are you okay, Ochako? You're acting like Midoriya right now without the mumbling," A croaky voice spoke up from behind the distracted brunette, causing her to turn to see her best friend, the Rainy Season Hero Tsuyu 'Froppy' Asui, looking at her with concern in her eyes.

"Oh I'm fine, Tsu. Just thinking about my other job at the dojo. Tournament's coming up and I still need to decide who should participate. I was thinking of getting Gunhead to help with the decision. Feels a bit too much to do it on my own," Ochako admitted while bashfully rubbing the back of her neck.

"That's smart, ribbit. No need to overwork yourself. We're busy enough here as it is. And you don't want Midoriya to get upset at you again," Tsuyu nodded, her statement causing the gravity hero to wince in response.

"Don't remind me…" She muttered as she recalled the recent argument the pair had. They've made up since then but it was something that she wouldn't forget for a while, especially since it involved people they both cared for deeply.

"By the way, how are you feeling physically? You look more roughed up than usual, ribbit. Did the escapees you and Nejire dealt with cause a lot of trouble?" The froggy girl asked, causing Ochako to look at her oddly before smiling lightly at the much needed subject change.

"Oh it was rough. I'm feeling sore and grimy all over right now. I'm gonna need to take a long bath when I get home…" She groaned while shifting her shoulders around to alleviate some of her stiffness.

"A bath sounds good. Especially for you. Might want to focus on your hair when you're home," Tsuyu croaked while holding a bit of Ochako's hair, which appeared to be scorched at the bottom.

"Oh… No wonder I've been smelling burnt hair all day. Damn walking matchstick of a villain," She groaned as she looked at her ruined hair. "It's stuff like that that keeps me from growing my hair out. I don't know how you and Yaomomo maintain it, Tsu. Must be really expensive, too…"

"It's a commitment," Tsuyu said with a shrug, getting a light giggle out of Ochako as they entered the building's locker room and changed out of their worn and torn hero costumes.

Now changed into a simple, but comfortable white shirt, pink hoodie and a pair of dark blue pants, her hair looking slightly less singed thanks to Tsuyu's help, and carrying her dirty suit in a case, the off duty hero bid her friends and peers farewell from the agency and made her way to her apartment with a smile on her face. Despite how tiring her jobs were, she couldn't help but feel proud and satisfied with her performance. It took a lot of hard work and perseverance for her to become who she was now, and she was glad that it all paid off. She still had a lot to learn before becoming a full fledged hero, yes, but she knew she was well on her way to becoming the best she could be and was getting the help she needed to climb the ranks.

Both at work and at home…

"Hmm… I wonder what's gonna be for dinner tonight. I should send a text and ask-"

"Hey lady, fork over your money or you're gonna ge-HURK!"

Ochako blinked a couple times as she gathered her surroundings. One moment she was reaching into her pocket to grab her phone and the next she was pinning a hooded individual to the wall beside her. She looked forward to the struggling assailant in her grasp before letting out an annoyed sigh. Ever since she graduated and started her own life, she was often targeted by random criminals hoping to get either her money or her...services, so to speak. They never succeeded; Gunhead's training was so ingrained into her that she instinctively pins almost anyone that sneaks up on her, but it was still a little troublesome to deal with almost constantly. She couldn't help but wonder if the other girls ever had the same trouble… Or did she look that unassuming when out of her hero costume.

"Hey, you stupid bitch! Let me go!" The criminal exclaimed before shouting as Ochako pushed him further into the wall.

"You're the one who tried to jump a professional hero who is also a martial arts blackbelt. Who's the stupid one here?" She deadpanned at the rapidly pailing man before gripping him with all of her fingers. She then let one arm go to reach into her fallen case while the other one held the now floating, and flailing, assailant. "You might want to stop struggling, ya know. I might end up losing my grip and accidently send you to space if you don't stop."

"Dammit, why did this have to happen?! I finally managed to break out of prison and the first person I jumped had to be a bloody hero! Screw my life…" The hooded assailant said in a defeated tone as Ochako looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh? You're one of the leftovers during the breakout this morning? Huh. No wonder my boss said to not worry about you guys," She said while pulling out a large piece of rope and walked over to a nearby lamppost. "I'm surprised you didn't try and use your quirk on me. Most of your friends used theirs when they tried to fight back."

"Tch, like glow-in-the-dark eyes would anything except creep someone out in a dark alleyway. Hell, the only reason why I turned to crime was because my dumb Quirk is useless for anything other than that..." The now tied man grumbled as his eyes began to glow a menacing red.

"Oh I'm sure a Quirk like yours is useful. No power is worthless. I know someone in particular who can come up with a slew of jobs and such for you," Ochako assured with a gentle smile as she tightened up her knot before pressing her fingers together and pulled out her smartphone. "There. Now behave until the police show up to put you back in your cell. And thank you for being more or less cooperative. You're much better than that weird boxing matchstick guy I dealt with earlier."

"You took down Zippo? No wonder your hair's crispy. Hope you were rough with him. Guy's a dick, even by criminal standards," The hooded man said with a weak chuckle, causing Ochako to look at him in surprise before chuckling herself.

"Oh he's roughed up alright. No worries there."

After waiting for the police to show up to pick up the straggler, Ochako continued on her way home. It didn't take her long to reach a rather nice looking apartment complex, one that she never thought she'd live in back in her younger days. Even now she felt like her new living arrangement was a bit too much at times, since it was a complex with a den, kitchen area, a fairly large bath and two bedrooms, one of which was almost never used. She ended up getting the place in the end thanks to a few factors, the main one being it was the closest complex near her work places at a reasonable price.

It helped that she got a roommate to help split the cost of everything, even if she didn't exactly approve of how they paid the rather pricey deposit and first rent.

"Still can't believe he went and did that. I mean, it was sweet and all, but it was completely unnecessary. At least he managed to get some of his collection back…" Ochako said to herself as she walked past a few of the doors and reached the one that belonged to her, glad that she got a home on the bottom floor. She'd rather not make herself sorer than she already was. Just as she was about to open her door, it suddenly swung open, revealing a certain mop of green hair that she had come to know and love.

"Ochako! Welcome back! I saw everything that happened on the news today! You were absolutely amazing on the field! The way you subdued the criminal Zippo so easily was incredible! You and Nejire were the perfect combination! And then there was the moment where you and Ryukyu-"

"Deku, slow down. I know you get hyped whenever you see me work, but could you save it until after I take a bath and get some food? I want to get a bit comfortable first before listing to my boyfriend mumble up a storm. And how did you even know I was nearby?" Ochako giggled, more than a little amused at the sight of Izuku 'Deku' Midoriya, clad in a pair of dark green sweats and one of his usual character shirts, looking at her with that starstruck expression that always made her heart flutter.

"Ah… Um, sorry. I was doing a bit of cleaning nearby when I heard you talk to yourself just now. Come on inside. I already have a bath drawn for you when you sent me that text after you clocked out," Izuku said bashfully, cheeks tinged red as he moved out of the way to let her in.

"Oh, thanks, Deku! That's so sweet of you! You really know how to treat a girl right!" Ochako chirped as she entered the complex and gave the young man a quick peck on the lips, snickering when his face started to glow a fiery crimson.

"N-No problem! I'm gonna go finish dinner! We're having curry tonight! E-Enjoy your bath!" Izuku managed to stutter out before bolting out of the entryway, leaving behind a very amused Ochako.

"We've been together for so long and are even roommates and he still gets flustered whenever it comes to affection sometimes. Some things never change, I suppose," Ochako said quietly to herself as she took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh smell of curry in the air as she slipped her shoes off and quickly made her way to the bathroom to freshen up, pausing when she saw a scruffy looking orange cat trot towards her with a slight limp. "Hi Mikan. Hope you had a good day here with Deku. You didn't burn anything this time, have you?"

"Myo."

"Good." She giggled, scratching the bundle of fur behind the ears before heading into the bath to relax, the cat following her inside and even hopped into the warm bath, much to her amusement. "You really are an oddball of a cat, huh?"

"Mii."

After a few long minutes, Ochako left the bath in a pink robe feeling very refreshed, followed closely by her furry companion in a cat-shaped orange robe of its own, a gift from Momo a few months back. She took another deep breath, salivating slightly at the scent of fresh curry, and scurried as fast as she could to the kitchen to see Izuku placing food filled plates on the table, much to her delight.

"Just in time! I just tasted the curry and it came out really well! You're gonna love it, I'm sure," Izuku said with a bright smile as he sat down.

"Marry me…" She shuddered with wide eyes staring at her meal as she sat down as well, her response causing a bark of laughter out of Izuku and causing her to blush when she realized what she said.

"Not yet. Soon, though. We promised to make your dream come true first before anything, remember? Your family takes priority and I want to help you out in any way I can," Izuku said softly while reaching over to place his scarred hand over her own slightly rough hand, and Ochako couldn't help but tear up at his statement.

"...You always know what to say, don't you, Deku?" She muttered as she wiped away her tears with her free hand.

"I learned from the best," He responded with a grin just as an impatient meow was heard by the two. "Hey, Mikan. I didn't forget about you. I got a small plate of curry here just for you. It's spicy, just how you like it. Enjoy."

The cat chirped in joy in response as a tiny plate was set on the floor before it and proceeded to chow down in a ravenous manner, causing the couple to laugh at the sight.

"It still baffles me to see him eating human food like us and not get sick from it. I'm glad we were able to rescue him," Ochako said fondly.

"He's a memento of our first joint mission together as official heroes and is as stubborn as us when he wants to be. I have a feeling he's going to be with us for a long time," Izuku said with a nod before focusing back on her. "So how did everything go today? I've seen a lot of what happened on the news but I'm curious about the details. Are you able to share or is it all confidential?"

"I can share it. And expect to get busy once you're on duty. Breakouts have been happening a lot lately and we need to be on top of everything just to make sure we wrangle everyone. Make sure you and your group are all prepped up before you head out," Ochako said seriously before taking a mouthful of curry and squeaked in surprise. "Oh wow, you weren't kidding when you said this is good! What recipe did you use for this?"

"I got a new one from Ashido when she and Kirishima came over to visit earlier today. They told me to tell you hi and that she wants to know when you're free so you and the girls can hang out," Izuku explained, Ochako nodding along as she continued with her meal.

As the two talked, Ochako couldn't help but think how things have changed so much for her over the years. Some for the better, some for the worst, but in the end, she wouldn't change it for the world. She worked hard to get to where she was now and while it might be a bit early to say for sure, she was happy where she was. She had a home close to her two jobs, a loving and supportive boyfriend living with her to make life a bit easier, and she was slowly but surely making a name for herself as a hero under her boss's guidance. She knew things will still get rough down the road, especially in her line of work, but she was ready for it. With that in mind, she allowed herself to become more comfortable as she listened to her boyfriend go on about his day and chimed in when asked about her own and occasionally scratching her cat's head whenever it walked up to her.

Just an average way to end the day for a young hero in training. Just how she liked it.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Welcome, Heroes, to my new work for IzuOcha week and the Prequel to Domestic Heroes! I hope you all haven't been waiting long for some good old IzuOcha content. My apologies for not being active here, lately. Things have been quite busy for me, recently. Hopefully, a week's worth of domestic fluff would be enough. I hope you lot will enjoy what I have managed to come up with as much as I enjoyed making them. Cheers, everyone, and I will see you all tomorrow for the next update. Farewell, and remember: Go Beyond, Plus Ultra!


	2. Theme 2: Injury-Recovery

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

2nd Moment: Occupational Hazards

It hurts to be a hero. That was a lesson Izuku knew very well as he grew and trained to be the world's greatest hero. In fact, it was a lesson that was constantly drilled into his head back when he first obtained One for All. He had since gotten much better control over his powers, but he would still get teased every now and again from his former classmates about his constant visits with Recovery Girl. Those visits still happen every now and then, especially since he was a graduate and working in an agency and as Gran Torino's new sidekick, but it was to be expected. To help means to be hurt, after all. It's an occupational hazard that he, and his peers, had come to expect when becoming heroes. His best friend and significant other knew this lesson very well with how hard she worked herself, especially in their youth. She overcame her own hurdles in order to get to where she was now, and while it did hurt him to see her strain herself so much, it did ease him a little to know that everything she'd done has paid off in the end.

...Though there were some moments where seeing her battered up was more amusing than anything, especially if it was for a silly reason.

"Ah! Easy there, Deku! That stings!"

"Haha. Sorry, but this has to be done. I know you don't like this stuff, but it's the best way to heal those bruises without going to see Recovery Girl. You know she's still peeved at you the last time you did this."

"I'd rather go face her wrath than have you constantly stinging my cheeks with rubbing alcohol at this point…"

"Hehehe."

"And will you stop laughing at me? I know your sense of humor is a bit weird, but does seeing me in pain really amuse you that much?"

"I'm just amazed you took so much abuse and walked away with only a few bruises! That's really impressive, if you think about it."

"...I can't tell whether to be flattered or not by what you just said."

Izuku could only laugh again as he gently dabbed Ochako's face with a medicinal cotton ball, smiling apologetically when she hissed in pain. The two were currently in one of Gunhead's dojos that Ochako worked at, with her doing her job as an instructor while Izuku was visiting for his patrol break. The two were having a nice chat during their breaks, quietly enjoying each other's company, when a rather large and rude group of individuals barged into the dojo demanding to fight the head, who was out to visit Gunhead at the time. Izuku, Ochako and a few other teachers and older students tried to calm the men down, but they simply got rowdier in response. Izuku himself was about to step in as a hero when Ochako raised her voice and demanded them to leave lest she took care of them herself. That caused the intruders to laugh, claiming that she was no match for them and they would easily beat down a weak little girl like her, and Izuku couldn't help but wince when he heard that. There were few things that would set her normally happy and cheerful girlfriend off, most of them involving his own recklessness, but few things made her blood boil than calling her a weak little girl. He could practically see her rage swirling around her like a miasma as she slowly walked over to the biggest brute of the group, grabbed him by the shirt, and tossed him so hard to the nearest wall that it caused an indent.

All without using her Quirk.

The others proceeded to attack her in response, but she had dealt with them with such skill and precision that Izuku couldn't help but feel starstruck. Seeing her look so confident even in the face of danger always made his heart race even after all these years. He didn't even notice that she had managed to beat the ruffians to the ground until the sounds of cheering martial artists reached his ears, and was rewarded by a tired, beaten, and immensely proud young woman standing before a pile of battered and bruised troublemakers. Izuku wasted no time after that to cuff and arrest them for trespassing and causing a disturbance, and allowed himself to chuckle when he told the group that the 'weak-looking girl' that just beat them to the ground was a sidekick to one of the top ten heroes and direct disciple of one of the country's best martial artists. It didn't take the police long to arrive, and once the group was gone, Izuku set his mind to focus on the next important issue…

Fixing up his hero of a girlfriend while both praising and chastising her for her bold, but reckless performance.

"You know, as amazing as it was to see you beat a bunch of brutes to submission by yourself, you really should've had the other instructors help you. You'd be much less hurt as a result," Izuku said in an amused tone as he knelt before his tattered gi-clad girlfriend he wrapped some gauze around her hand.

"It was a matter of pride, Deku. They put me down because I was a girl, so I had no choice but to put them down as a result. I don't regret what I did...though I will admit that I probably shouldn't have been so quick to anger by their words," Ochako pouted from her spot in one of the dojo's benches.

"At least you're aware of that. It's just something we have to work on, is all. Even I'm prone to outbursts like yours every so often," Izuku admitted as he pulled her sleeve down and went to work on her other arm.

"Yeah, but your outbursts usually happen when someone you care about is hurt in some way, not for a stupid reason like pride," She said with a wince as Izuku dabbed some ointment onto her bruises once more.

"Oh I have those moments, too. Usually around Kacchan. Things always seem to blow up in a lot of ways whenever he's involved," He joked, getting a snicker out of her in response before adopting a more wistful smile as he proceeded to bandage her arm. "Ironic that I'm the one patching you up when it's usually me that get's hurt to the point of broken bones."

"Oh this doesn't even come close to the number of times I had to patch you up, Deku. You're looking scruffed up yourself," Ochako countered as she used her free hand to touch his face and run her thumb on some of the fresh scratches that he got during some of the rougher moments of his patrol, an unexpected act that caused Izuku to blush madly.

"P-Please don't do that when I'm giving you first aid. It...feels too good and I'll get distracted," He muttered, a soft whine when Ochako started to giggle at his expense.

"Consider it payback for stinging me with a cotton ball just now," She said in a cheeky manner as she let go of his face to point at the large bandage on her face.

"That was unavoidable and you know it…" He grumbled as he tightened the bandage slightly and pulled the sleeve of her gi down. "There, that should be most of them. There's definitely more than what I got, but my break is almost done, so one of the others will have to finish the rest. Also, you're going to have to sit out the practical lessons until you get home."

"I know. No need to worry about me, Dr. Deku, I'll take it easy," Ochako joked before adopting a more somber expression. "Sorry you had to spend your break patching me up, though. It was supposed to be just lunch and spending time with each other before going back to work. I still need to head over to the agency for some paperwork, too, so I'm going to be coming home late. It sucks that we've been so busy lately. We barely have time for each other…"

"We knew this was going to happen when we got together in high school, Ochako, and things were just as busy then as they are now. Probably more so with everything that was happening," Izuku said before holding a fist up to her. "Despite it all, though, we pulled through. It was rough, but we survived together, and this is no different. We just have to do what we always do and rely on each other. Nothing will stop the two of us, after all."

"...Yeah. You're right. Nothing has stopped us before, and nothing ever will," Ochako nodded as she bumped her fist with his, both of them smiling at each other before the pair got up and she hugged him gently. "You be safe out there, Deku. I expect to see you home without a cast or a bandage around your head this time, ok?"

"I'll try my best. We're heroes, after all. It's an occupational hazard," Izuku joked as he returned the hug, letting go before giving her a quick peck on the lips out of habit. Smiling as he saw her grinning and bright red face, he gave her a wave before leaving the dojo, body sparkling an electric green as he hopped from roof to roof to return to his post.

_She really was amazing today. Dealing with all those thugs on her own with just her martial arts skills. She's come a long way since her short lessons in our first year. The young hero thought, a dreamy smile on his face as he started to pick up speed. Her going back to Gunhead during our second year was the best decision. The fact that she was also given a job as an instructor in his new branch here despite only having a couple years of experience just shows how much talent she has in that style. She truly is an amazing hero, and I hope I can catch up to her someday…_

"Hey, Deku! Watch out for that pole!"

"Huh? Was that Ashi-"

*bam!*

"AAAR-"

*crash*

Aaah… Note to self: Don't be lost in thought while roof hoping or else I'll bash my face into a flagpole then fall head first into a sidewalk. My face hurts so much right now...

"Oof… That looked painful. You alright there, Deku? I don't have to call Ocha and tell her you're spending the night in the hospital again, do I?" A concerned, yet energetic voice called out from behind the downed hero, one that he recognized as his agency appointed partner and former classmate, Mina 'Pinky' Ashido.

"Yeh… I'm fim," He responded as he picked himself up from the ground, ignoring the searing pain from his face and quirked an eyebrow when he saw his pink comrade hiss in worry.

"Oh you are not fine at all, mister. You just busted your nose with that wipe out. You got more blood on your face than All Might does when he starts coughing," She explained as she reached into a small pack on her hip and pulled out a compact mirror.

"Huh? Wad do yu mem? I'm pefectly fii… Oh dam," Izuku trailed off with a wince as he stared at the state of his face. Bent nose, debris for freckles, blood covering his mouth, he looked less like a hero and more like a killer clown at the moment.

"Yeah. Oh damn indeed. I'm surprised you're still somewhat able to talk with how bworked your nose is right now. If Bakugo or Kaminari were here right now, they'd probably be laughing their asses off at the sight," Mina said as she put her compact away and fished out a small first aid kit. "How the hell did you not see the pole, anyways? You're usually more attentive than that. What, did something happen during your break with Ocha that put your head in the clouds?"

Izuku turned away at that, not wanting to admit that she was right. His lack of admission, though, only seemed to confirm her suspicion if the large, teasing grin was anything to go by.

"Wow. Must've done something either really hot or really badass to get you worked up during patrol. Knowing you, probably both," She snickered as she set down the kit and took out her phone, causing Izuku to panic as she started taking pictures of him. "What? You know it's protocol to take pictures like this while on patrol for on job injury reports that don't involve villains. That schnoz is an easy fix for me, yeah, but I still got to do it. And before you ask, I won't show this to Ocha...so long as you invite me to dinner tonight. Eiji's not home yet and I'm bored."

"...If yeh wanted ta com fo diner, yeh cod hab as," He managed to mutter out, wincing at the sound of his own voice.

"I know. I was just messing with ya. But I am going to have to show her the photo and explain what happened, though. She's gonna know something's up when she shows up tonight wondering why your face is crooked," Mina said, causing Izuku to blanch at the statement before she reached over to him and grabbed his bent nose. "Alright, I'm gonna set it straight now. You know it's gonna hurt, so I'm going to count to three so you can brace yourself. You ready, hero?"

"Reby az I eva be…" Izuku nodded as he closed his eyes, chastising himself for getting hurt in such a ridiculous manner. It was his fault, though, for losing focus while going at high speeds, and is rightfully paying the price. He just hoped that Ochako doesn't get too upset with him getting injured literally right after he chastised her for being reckless at the dojo…

_Being hurt on the job is common for us heroes. An occupational hazard. I doubt whoever first said that ever had this in mind, though._

"Ok, I'm about to start! One…! Two…!

*crack!*

"OW! Ashido!"

"Three!"

* * *

Author's Note:

Welcome back, Heroes, to the Domestic Heroes prequel. Hope you all had an enjoyable read. I had a fair bit of fun with this piece, especially towards the end, and if you're up for more humor, then look forward to what I have cooked up for the next chapter. Also, on that note, you lot don't have to worry about my work being left incomplete like the last few IzuOcha week fics. All the entries this time are finished, so expect a consistent updates until the end. As always, thank you all so much for reading my works. Look forward to some hilarity in the next chapter and I wish you all a good day.

Farewell, Heroes. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!


	3. Theme 3: Silent Night

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

3rd Moment: A (not so) Silent Night

"Dekuuuu… Are we home yet?"

"Almost there, Ochako. Almost there…"

"I really hope so. I want this nightmare of a week to just end."

"Me too… Me too…"

"...You're still traumatized by what happened at the hot springs last night, aren't you?"

"Yes… Yes…"

"...Want me to hug the trauma away?"

"Please…"

"Aww. C'm here, you."

Izuku let out a content sigh as he felt his head rest on his girlfriend's chest. The two of them were currently in a train after a long, difficult, and all around frustrating joint mission out of town with their respective agencies and were desperate to go home. The mission itself wasn't physically taxing, but it was very rough for them mentally, and that made the week go by at a snail's pace. Even the few moments of levity they had didn't alleviate the stress and mental anguish that they, and many of their fellow heroes and sidekicks suffered. The moment they were allowed to leave, everyone rejoiced and quickly made their way to their respective modes of transportation to get as far away from their mission location as possible. For Deku and Uravity that meant the train, which also meant a bit of a slower trip back home compared to those who drove or lived nearby. That also meant that they were with some of their old classmates who lived nearby that would tease them mercilessly if they saw their current position…

...Were it not for the fact that they, too, felt just as drained and frustrated as the pair in question.

"Ochako… Can you give me a hug, too…? I need a recharge after that crappy mission we had and Eiji's not here to give me one," Mina whined from beside the pair, laying on her stomach and reaching out to the girl weakly as if she was a lifeline.

"Sorry, Mina. One per customer and Deku takes priority. Ask Tsu for one instead. She gives better hugs than I do," Ochako said while shaking her head.

"That's debatable… No offence, Asui..." Izuku muttered while nestling in her chest, too tired to feel embarrassed by his actions.

"Ribbit, none taken, Midoriya. I actually agree with you. Ochako is a very amazing hugger. I might need one myself, to be honest," Tsuyu said from across the aisle, who would've looked no different than normal were it not for the bags under her eyes.

"...I can't tell whether you guys are praising me or teasing me," The blushing brunette muttered as a pair of pink arms slinked around her waist.

"Midori and Tsu are praising you for sure. Me, it's a bit of both. Keeps our mind out of that hell of a week, anyways, so don't complain," Mina grumbled as she rested her head on her friend's thigh.

"That's one good thing out of all this, at least," Ochako sighed as she moved Izuku down to her other thigh and proceeded to scratch both her frizzy haired friend's heads, smiling lightly when they both let out content hums in response.

"...You look like a mother putting her children to sleep right now, Ochako," Tsuyu croaked in amusement, getting a slight giggle out of Ochako in response.

"I feel like a mother to these two, sometimes."

It was another few minutes before the quartet finally made it to their stop, much to a certain pink hero's displeasure due to a lack of a comfortable lap pillow. Her mood perked up almost immediately when she saw a certain crimson hero waiting for her at the station. Ochako couldn't help but shake her head, bemused by her friend's actions, before bidding her froggy friend goodbye and walked home with her tired boyfriend. They were in much better moods now thanks to the impromptu cuddle fest, and Ochako thanked all that was holy that their train was empty besides the four of them. As comfortable as she was with PDA these days, she would've probably died in embarrassment if anyone saw her in such an...interesting position. Despite feeling a bit more energized, though, they were more than happy to be finally back at their apartment, and were desperate to get to bed. Tired as they were, they had forgotten about one little thing that the two had done the day they left until Ochako opened the door to their home…

"Ahh! Get him off! Get him off me, Kyoka!"

"Hell no. You're the one who pissed the cat off, Jamming Whey. You deal with it yourself."

"He's clawing my face and burning my hair! Please get him off before I become an ugly mess!"

"Too late for that…"

"...Oh right. We asked Kaminari and Jiro to cat-sit Mikan for us while we were gone…" Ochako muttered with a wince as she saw her electric powered friend run around with her tabby attacking his face while a certain earphone hero was watching the whole thing happen with a bored expression.

"Still better than when Kacchan does the cat-sitting. At least there aren't any burn marks on the walls or furniture this time," Izuku mused out loud, his statement causing Mikan to turn to the couple and jump off of Denki's face landing right into Ochako's shoulder, much to her amusement.

"Huh? Oh hey. Welcome back, guys. How was the mission?" Kyoka asked casually while Denki fell to his knees and panted heavily.

"Mind-numbingly horrible. I felt like banging my head on a wall the whole time…" Ochako grumbled while scratching under her cat's chin.

"I got jumped in the hot spring last night…" Izuku muttered in a traumatized tone.

"Yikes. Sounds really rough. We'll get out of your hair so you can relax. Looks like you need it," Kyoka said as she kneeled down to Denki and picked him up over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"The claws… The flames… Why must they hurt…?" Denki whimpered.

"Your fault for prodding and poking at the furry firebrand too much… It's a recent rescue, remember? It's not used to anyone touching him so much other than the lovebirds here. Only other person the cat's comfortable with like them is little Eri. Even Aizawa has a hard time getting on its good side and he's a true cat man," Kyoka said dryly as Mikan climbed off of Ochako's shoulders and onto Izuku's before gently butting its head on his.

"He's gotten better. As long as you don't agitate him, Mikan's actually pretty sweet," Ochako said with a giggle at the sight of her cat and boyfriend giving each other affection.

"I can see that," Kyoka said with a chuckle before walking past the pair and out the door, she and Denki waving goodbye before Izuku, still getting affectioned by Mikan, closed the door.

"Looks like someone really misses us," Ochako giggled as she grabbed the cat from Izuku's shoulder and rubbed her face with it. "Sorry for leaving you alone for a week, sweetie. Did you behave while we were gone? Outside of you clawing Kaminari's face just now."

"Mow."

"Let's take that as a maybe. And probably check the apartment for any of their stuff, just in case. Tokoyami still can't find his favorite cloak and I'm fairly certain Mikan hid it when he visited last," Izuku suggested with a chuckle, quirking an eyebrow when the cat seemed to snicker at him, before taking off his shoes. "Alright, now that we're home, how about we shower and then go to sleep. I'm ready to pass out for the entire weekend…"

"Same. I just want to forget about what we just went through. We better be paid extra for that hell," Ochako grumbled as she quickly removed her own footwear and made her way to the bathroom with one arm holding her cat and the other dragging her surprised boyfriend. "C'mon, Deku. We're taking the shower together. The sooner we get clean, the sooner we can get to bed and cuddle until we pass out. I need hugs from my boys."

"Didn't we just cuddle with Ashido on the train?"

"Mow mrow?"

"Not enough. Now on with the water and off with the clothes."

"Yes, ma'am."

The shower came and went quickly enough for the pair and now clad in their own set of Izuku's character shirts and boxers (when asked why she wore them instead of her own sleepwear, Ochako admitted she found Izuku's clothes comfier to sleep in than her own and helps her sleep at night when he's away, a fact that practically stopped the poor young man's heart when he first heard the explanation), the two proceeded to go to their shared bedroom and plop themselves head first into their fairly large bed, a poofy orange tabby following close by and situated at the edge of it.

"I'm so glad we have the next few days off… Hopefully we don't get bothered by anyone. We need our rest...," Ochako mumbled as she snuggled into Izuku's chest.

"Yeah… We do…" Izuku nodded as he gently rubbed Ochako's back, his eyes growing heavy. "Maybe...we can go out sometime tomorrow. Or today, technically, since it's past midnight… We haven't had a date in a while… I think we're due for one…"

"That sounds nice… Can we take Mikan, too? Visit that pet cafe and the aquarium…?"

"Yeah… We can do that…"

"Hmm… Goodnight, Deku. Love you…"

"Love you too…"

With those words said, the two drifted into a peaceful sleep, looking forward to a weekend of rest and relaxation. There was nothing to worry about for them, anymore. No missions. No villains. No stress. Just them, Mikan, and a few free days to do whatever they ple-

_*knock knock!*_

"Hmm…? Someone at the door?" Izuku mumbled as he slowly got up, rubbing his eyes as Ochako groaned in discomfort. "I'll see who it is. Go back to sleep, Ochako."

"Hurry back…" She muttered while snuggling a pillow, an act that made Izuku's heart clench for a moment before shaking his head and made his way to the front door.

"I wonder who would be here in the middle of the night? And how do they know we're here? We never told anyone we'd be here at this time," Izuku muttered to himself before opening the door, blinking a couple times in surprise when he saw his other best friend, Tenya "Ingenium" Iida, right before him and dressed in his hero garb, sans helmet. "Iida? What are you doing here? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, my friend! I was simply starting my break during my patrol when I passed our friends Jiro and Kaminari, who said you and Uraraka have returned from your mission! I am aware of how late it is, but I wished to check in on you both to see how you were doing, as any comrade should, as our friends told me how rough your excursion was mentally!" Tenya said loudly and cheerfully, which was the norm for the engine-legged hero. Normally that wouldn't bother Izuku, having been friends with him since their first year at UA, but with how tired the off-duty hero was, he couldn't help but wince at the shouting.

"We're fine, Iida. It wasn't anything serious, really. We're just really exhausted, is all. Ochako and I were actually about to head to bed, so-"

"ACK! I disturbed you and Uraraka from your rest! I deeply apologize, my friend! I should've known you two would be trying to sleep now! It's well past midnight, now! I must find a way to make it up to you both!" Tenya exclaimed, causing Izuku to jump at his intensity and missing the sounds of footsteps approaching behind him until he felt a hand gently hold his shoulder.

"Iida, it's fine. You don't need to repay us. An apology is enough," Ochako's gentle voice said, causing the two young men to turn to see her smiling at them with Mikan napping on her head.

"Uraraka! It's goo-"

"Shh… Indoor voice, Iida. I know you're worried about us but there's no need to shout. Don't want to wake the neighbors, and our cat, up, after all," Ochako chided with a giggle while pointing at the sleeping furball on her head, causing Tenya to stare back at the pair shamefaced.

"Ah. My apologies, Uraraka. I was both so relieved and worried about you two during your outing that I lost control of my emotions for a moment. How unbecoming of a hero like myself to act so shamefully," The man said in a near dramatic fashion that the couple could barely contain their laughter.

_So serious_. They thought simultaneously, taking a moment to calm themselves before Izuku spoke up. "Listen, Iida, we really appreciate you coming to check on us. You're an awesome friend and we're happy to have you. We'd invite you inside, but Ochako and I need to get our sleep. We're off for the next few days, though, so if you have a day off soon, stop by for a visit so we can catch up."

"...I would like that very much, Midoriya. I wish you and Uraraka a good night's rest. With how hard I'm sure you two worked this past week, you more than deserve a break," Tenya said with a bow.

"Thank you, Iida. And you take it easy, too. Night shifts are not fun, after all. Say hi to Hatsume for us when you're off," Ochako said with a sleepy smile as she and Izuku waved goodbye to their now speeding friend before closing the door. "Well that was nice of Iida to drop by and visit. Really wished he came at a better time, but it's good to see him again."

"Yeah. We really should invite him out with us again soon. The three of us haven't hung out together in a while. Maybe after our date to the aquarium?" Izuku asked, who got a slow nod in response.

"Works for me. But for now, it's bed time for us. C'mon, lets-"

_*bzzrt bzrrt!*_

"...Did you hear that?"

"Sounds like it's coming from the bedroom. I think it's your phone," Izuku said as the pair walked back to their room.

"Right. You have yours on silent. Should've done the same thing…" Ochako grumbled as she grabbed her phone from the nightstand as Izuku reached for her head and pulled the still sleeping Mikan from it. "...It's my parents? Why are they calling at this time of night?"

"Might be an emergency. Go ahead and answer it," Izuku said, the both of them more alert once those words escaped his lips.

"Gotcha," She nodded before pressing the call button. "Mom? Dad? Is everything-"

[OCHAKO!]

"Eek!" The young woman screamed, causing Izuku to jump in surprise and even Mikan to awaken with a yowl. "M-Momma! Daddy!"

[Sorry, sweetie! We just wanted to check in on you! This is the only free time your father and I have at the moment!] An energetic woman's voice said in a sweet tone, causing Ochako to sigh in annoyance before putting the phone on speaker.

"I appreciate it, Momma, but we're fine. Deku and I just finished the mission and were about to go to bed now before you called. And what do you mean this is you and Daddy's only free time? Are you guys seriously doing a construction job at...one in the morning?" Ochako questioned after checking the time on her phone.

[Our current job has us working with more nocturnal customers this time, sweetie. It's odd, yes, but they're paying well.] Mrs. Uraraka said in a matter-of-fact tone that caused the couple to deadpan at the phone before the woman gasped. [Oh wait, did you say you and Izuku were about to head to bed! I am so sorry, sweetie! I thought you were still at your job and needed someone to talk to! It felt like you two were really stressed, judging from the text you sent to me and your father…]

[I told you we should've waited until morning to call them, honey!] An equally energetic male voice spoke up, one that the pair recognized as Ochako's father.

[You did not! You wanted to call them this morning before we went to sleep!]

[No, I said we should call them tomorrow morning! But you said it would be best to call them during our break!]

[So now it's my fault that I'm keeping our baby from getting some sleep?]

[That's not what I meant and you know it!]

"...Do you think we'll end up like them when we get married?" Izuku whispered to Ochako in a frightened tone, having little experience with such arguments thanks to his childhood with a single parent.

"We're like that now, sometimes. Even the best relationships have their rocky moments, and both ours and my parents' are no different," Ochako said calmly, much more used to such things than he was and giving Izuku a soft pat on the cheek before turning back to her arguing family. "Momma, Daddy, it's good to hear from ya again, but we really need to go to bed, ok? Call us when you two aren't working a night job or at each other's throats. Whichever comes first. We love you both! G'night!"

[Oh! Sorry for keeping you up, sweetie! Have a good night! And don't have too much fun with Izuku before heading to be-]

_*beep*_

"...I hate it when they do that," Ochako grumbled as she muted her phone, her normally rosey cheeks darker thanks to her parents' parting words.

"To be fair, we almost did it in the bathroom earlier. Only reason we didn't was because of how tired we were and the fact that you brought Mikan to the bath with us," Izuku said in a tired, but matter-of-fact tone as he set the dozing cat on the bed.

"...Why is it that you're more comfortable talking about this stuff when you're dead on your feet?" Ochako questioned while the pair reacquainted themselves with their bed.

"Too tired to be embarrassed or really think about what I say…" Izuku confessed, his cheeks also taking a reddish tone.

"Fair enough. I'll just tease you about it when we wake up. I am ready to pass out until midnight tomorrow, now…" Ochako said with a yawn as she placed her head back onto Izuku's chest, humming when she felt his arm wrap around her.

"No...argument here…" Izuku agreed sleepily before quickly passing out, with Ochako following suit just as fast.

With all distractions out of the way, the two were finally able to rest. No calls to disturb them. No one (hopefully) heading to their door to see them. Just them, their cat, and all the quiet in the world for them to get their much needed-

_*BOOM!*_

"GAH!" The pair screamed, flying out of their bed and into the floor. Even Mikan was now clinging to the ceiling in response to the loud noise.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, What Now!?" Ochako screamed, eyes bloodshot as she stomped towards the door.

"What in the world could cause an explosion like that?" Izuku questioned, he and Mikan hot on her heels as they saw her swing the door open. "It didn't sound like a bomb or a gas line exploding. In fact, it sort of sounded like-"

"GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE, YOU STUPID VILLAIN! YOU'RE GOING TO JAIL WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"

*BOOM!*

"...Should've guessed," Izuku sighed as soon as he heard the familiar shouts and blasts of his childhood friend and rival, Katsuki 'Ground Zero' Bakugo.

"Of all the things that woke us up…" Ochako growled as Mikan moved right beside her and started hissing in agitation, much to Izuku's concern.

"Uh… Ochako? Mikan? Maybe we should just head back inside and-"

"HEY! BAKUGO! CAN YA KEEP IT DOWN WITH THE DARN EXPLOSIONS! SOME OF US ARE TRYIN' TA SLEEP HERE!"

"MROW!"

"Oh no, here we go…" Izuku groaned with a palm on his face. He knew once Ochako got going, there were few things that could stop her. It didn't help that their cat was also getting into it.

"YOU KEEP IT DOWN, ROUND FACE! I'M TRYING TO GET THIS VILLAIN AND YOU'RE DISTRACTING ME FROM MY WORK!"

"THEN WORK QUIETER! DEKU AND I JUST GOT BACK FROM A LONG AND STUPID MISSION AND WE NEED OUR REST! AND WE CAN'T HAVE IT WITH YOUR DUMB EXPLOSIONS KEEPIN' US UP!"

"NOT MY PROBLEM!"

"How is he even able to hear her? They're meters apart…" Izuku wondered out loud as he picked up his aggressive cat and began stroking it to hopefully calm it down. "Ochako, take it easy. Kacchan's just doing his job. It's not his fault that his Quirk is so loud. We should head inside and-"

"IF YA DON'T MAKE THOSE BLAST OF YOURS QUIETER I'LL FLOAT YA TO SPACE!"

"I'LL MAKE MY EXPLOSIONS AS LOUD AS I DAMN WANT! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU'RE WAKING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH YOUR STUPID SHOUTING!"

"LOOK WHO'S TALKIN'!"

"Ok, that's enough of that," Izuku said as he grabbed Ochako's arm and pulled her inside. "Ochako, I know you're stressed, but you don't need to take it out on Kacchan like that."

"Oh yes I can! We've been trying to get to sleep for who-knows-when and I am so annoyed with all these interruptions! First Iida, then my parents, and now Bakugo! I just want to sleep!" Ochako exclaimed, causing Izuku to wince as she took a few deep breaths. "Sorry… I didn't mean to blow up on you…"

"I get it. This night hasn't been that easy for us. And honestly, with all the interruptions we've had, I don't think I'll be going to sleep anytime soon," Izuku said as he set his now calm cat down and embraced Ochako gently.

"Ugh. Neither can I now. I'm too wound up from all this…" She whined while wrapping her arms around Izuku and Mikan rubbing his cheeks on her legs.

"...Well, we could just try and relax in other ways. Pet the cat. Make some food. Watch some TV. Stuff like that," Izuku suggested as the trio moved to the couch.

"Hmm. Those sound like good ideas…" Ochako nodded while sitting on the couch as Mikan jumped onto her lap and Izuku stood before her with his face suddenly brighter.

"Oh, maybe there's some places open still for delivery. We can just rest here and have a late dinner and movie marathon until we fall asleep. At least that way the sound of the TV will hopefully drown out anything that'll disturb us," He said as he left to grab his phone, leaving Ochako alone with an amused smile while petting her cat.

"...He is too cute for his own good, sometimes," She hummed before reaching over to the small coffee table before her and grabbed the remote, flickering through the different movies they had as she waited for her boyfriend to arrive.

It wasn't the ideal way for them to spend their first night back after being gone so long, but in the end, it didn't matter. They were home together, and that was the important thing. Sure they needed to sleep, but they had the next few days to unwind, so there wasn't a rush. They'll pass out soon enough. Until then, she was happy to watch some movies and wait for food with her love by her side and her cat on her lap.

And this time, there wouldn't be any unwanted distractions.

"Oh hey, the Magnificent All Might Collection's finally out. Deku's gonna want to see this."

"Ochako! Mahjongs is still open! You want me to order your favorite mochi from there?"

"Yes please! And don't forget the side of anchovies for Mikan!"

"I won't!"

"Mew!"

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello again, Heroes. Hope you enjoyed this more humorous chapter. I honestly don't know how this piece came to be. I was just writing what was in my mind and it...spiraled for lack of a better term. It was honestly one of the more enjoyable times I had while writing in a long time. Here's hoping I get to experience something like that again... In any case, this chapter is more or less the last of the stand-alone pieces, as the last few will be more connected compared to the last one. The reason for that? Well... Let's just say that the 3rd (or 4th if you count Mikan) main character of the Domestic Hero series will finally make her way here. Look forward to that! As always, thank you all so much for enjoying my works. I wish you all a wonderful IzuOcha week and I will see you tomorrow for day 4!  
Until then, Farewell. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!


	4. Theme 4: Part of Me

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

4th Moment: Price of Heroism

"Hmm… Got some more, now. Been getting too many of these, lately. I really need to start finding more long range options in my fighting style..."

Ochako sighed to herself as she stared at her reflection in her apartment bathroom, clad in a black top, dark green shorts, and a multitude of faint scars, old and fresh, on many parts of her body. She had just returned from one of the more dangerous missions a few days ago and it was only until this morning that she was finally able to remove her bandages from said ordeal. The villain she and her group had to face was very strong and possessed a unique Quirk that turned them into a werewolf-like creature on a whim. It took a very long time to subdue them and during the scuffle, Ochako suffered a multitude of deep scratches on multiple parts of her body due to her having to get close in order to use her Quirk. The most worrying wound was the one on her wrists, where the assailant cut so deep that they broke her wrist guards and nearly cut her hands off. Thankfully with some quick thinking and maneuvering on Tsuyu's part, they were able to take the werewolf villain down and get Ochako to Recover Girl fast enough to make a proper recovery.

"I really hope that guy doesn't break out. He was too much trouble to handle. I'm honestly lucky to be alive right now…" Ochako muttered to herself as she looked at her arms, frowning at the white scars that were on her wrists.

Attacks to her hands and arms were always something she had to look out for while at work. Her Quirk was entirely dependent on her touching her target with all five fingers. If she lost just one of her fingers, then she would have no way to turn off her Quirk, and if she lost one in each hand, then she couldn't use her Quirk at all. It was something she looked into while researching on Quirks that required specific body parts during high school and it had stuck to her ever since. She wasn't the only one who had similar issues to her; Katsuki with his palms and Tenya with his legs came to mind, but she was practically the only one among her peers who would be rendered practically Quirkless so easily. It was a fact that truly terrified her at times, but thankfully she had the support of her friends to help ease her worries and come up with ways to protect her arms and fingers.

It also helped that Mei Hatsume, a good yet eccentric friend, and Melissa Shield, a sweetheart that was practically Izuku's older sister with how close they were, developed special prosthetics for her and a few of her friends that would allow them to still use their Quirks should the worst come to pass.

"Hmm. I wonder how I'd look with a metal hand? Or even metal fingers? I just hope maintaining them won't be too costly. Having a prosthetic actually sounds kinda cool..." Ochako mused as she raised her palm up in front of the mirror, imagining it having a metallic design to it, as her eyes wandered to a small, slightly scratched All Might figure that appeared to be Christmas themed; the only thing that survived the attack on her arms and wrists. "I'm so glad Deku's gift is ok. I'm really surprised that it managed to come out of that mess with only a few scratches. I guess it's as durable as the real thing."

_*knock knock*_

"Ochako? Is everything ok? Your wounds aren't acting up again, are they?"

"I'm fine, Deku. I just took off the bandages and assessed the damage. You can come in, if you want. I'm decent," Ochako called out to the worried voice beyond the door, a reassuring smile on her face as Izuku entered the bathroom with a frazzled expression.

"Are you sure? You came back in a pretty bad state a few days ago. I don't want you to push yourself too hard just to assure me," Izuku said softly as he looked over her body, an act that caused her natural blush to darken a little.

"I'm still pretty sore, but not as bad as I was a few days ago. The medication and your special attention has really sped up the healing process," Ochako said gently as she placed a hand on his cheek. She felt so bad for making him worry after the mission was completed. When Izuku was told of her state, he practically flew over to the hospital she was staying at just to check on her. It was a very sweet gesture, honestly, but the pained expression on his face the first time he saw her in such a bad shape filled her with guilt. Usually it was her coming to see him in the hospital after doing something that nearly broke his bones, so being on the receiving end of such worry really put some things into perspective.

"I'm glad. I was really worried for a while, Ochako. I know you're strong and dealt with stuff like this before, but this is the first time that you got so severely hurt. It's usually me that's put in that state," Izuku confessed with a mirthless laugh.

"And now you know how I feel whenever I see you like this," Ochako joked while gesturing to her scarred body, getting a more genuine chuckle out of the young hero before wrapping her arms around him in a soft embrace. "And now I know how you feel being in intensive care like that. Honestly, I was really scared after we got the werewolf guy. I didn't think my hands were gonna fully recover for a moment there. Thankfully Recovery Girl was there to heal me. She really is a miracle worker at times, huh?"

"She is, isn't she? Makes me wonder how far we'd go if she wasn't around," Izuku mused as she felt him rub her back, her nicked skin feeling his own rough and scarred hand.

"You'd probably be a one armed warrior with how much you busted your hands back in the day," Ochako said with a wry smile as she gently pushed herself away and held her lover's warped appendage. "You've always given it your all in order to do the right thing, and these scars are proof of that. Mine are no different. It's the price we pay for our heroism, Deku, and it's something that both of us have accepted a long time ago. I was scared when it was over, yes, but in the end, this is what I... What _we_ signed up for. And I'll do it all again to make sure that the people I love are safe."

"...You truly are a hero, you know that?" Izuku hiccuped, tears falling so hard from his face that Ochako couldn't help but giggle a little at the sight.

"Well I learned from the best," She answered softly before giving him a loving kiss on the cheek. "Now...let's get out of the bathroom and get lunch ready. We got a special guest coming to stay with us for a little bit and we need to prepare."

"Yeah. You're right. Sorry. Still can't help but feel a bit emotional when it comes to stuff like this," Izuku confessed as the two left the bathroom and made their way to the kitchen.

"I understand. And I don't mind at all. Really. Seeing you worry about me like this just shows how much you care about me. It's...honestly reassuring to know that you'll be there for me whenever things get rough," Ochako said shyly as she passed the counter and patted Mikan, who was napping on it.

"Huh? What do you mean? I'll always be there for you for anything. Just like you're always there for me. It's been like that literally since we first met," Izuku said, tone full of confusion as he went to a cabinet and pulled out a few plates.

"I know… I'm just being silly," She said while shaking her head and grabbed an apron, shoulders drooping when she saw him frown at her. "It's just…I sometimes have moments where I wonder if I'm strong enough to do what I want to do. To stand by you and the others as equals. To make sure that no one else is dying in my arms… I have moments where I wonder if I'm even good enough to be a hero? That I'm just hurting myself and others for no reason at all. But whenever I have those thoughts, you fly by and just banish them away. I see you being your amazing self and I can't help but emulate that. You inspire and support me in ways that the others can't. You make me see that these scars on me actually mean something. You are a hero to me and so many people…and whenever you call me a hero, it just makes me feel like everything that I've done has been worth it."

"That's because it has been worth it, Ochako," Izuku said as he came up to her and placed his scarred hand on his face, wiping away a tear she didn't know she had. "You're just as much an inspiration to me as I am to you. Maybe even more so. I wouldn't even be here right now if you didn't help me back at UA's entrance exam. Your bright personality and never-give-up attitude are what helped me push myself to become a hero that can stand beside you. Every day I ask myself how I got so lucky to meet, befriend, and go out with someone as amazing as you. So yeah, give yourself a bit of credit and wear those scars proudly. You didn't get them by being stupid and reckless like how I got mine."

"Haha! That's debatable, Deku! I got some of my scars in pretty stupid ways, too!" Ochako laughed, her mood much better after hearing her boyfriend's heartfelt words and seeing that boyish smile she'd long since loved. "Wow, we were really sappy today, huh? Guess both of us were feeling pretty emotional. Makes sense, considering what happened."

"Yeah, but I think we needed this. It's not healthy to keep everything bottled up for too long. We both learned that the hard way," Izuku nodded before giving Ochako a quick hug and a peck on the forehead before making his way to the refrigerator.

"You can say that, again," Ochako nodded before grabbing another apron and tossed it to him. "Now, let's get lunch started. We're making katsudon, right?"

"Yup, and some apple rabbits for snacks. Think you can handle them? You make them look nicer than I do," He asked while grabbing the necessary ingredients.

"Only if you make a couple yourself. She loves the ones you make a lot more, even if they do look a little lumpy," She answered, hair now tied back and grabbing a knife and cutting board from a nearby drawer.

"Deal," He nodded while placing a basket of apples beside her, causing Ochako to beam at him and peck his cheek once more before beginning her task, pausing when she saw the white scar on her wrist.

_...This is the price I pay to be a hero. The price I pay to keep Deku and the others safe. It's a painful price, but as long as everyone is alive and well at the end of the day, then I'll proudly accept more of them. Deku's been doing it since the beginning, after all, and I am not gonna fall behind. We promised to stand by each other and help everyone in need, scars and all. Besides, all these scars build up our intimidation factor. Hopefully people will think twice about jumping me after work once they actually see physical proof of what I do for a living. Maybe I should try getting one on my eye? That'll really freak people out…as long as Deku doesn't faint if I do get one._

Ochako couldn't help but let out another giggle at that thought, waving Izuku off when he turned to her curiously, before beginning her task. She honestly felt like a broken record for basically repeating what she told her lover in the bathroom earlier, but it helped to reassure herself that everything that she'd done had been worth it. Her hero work truly was hard on her at times, physically, mentally and emotionally, but she managed to push through it all in the end, and would continue to push through until the end. Thankfully, she wasn't alone in that regard. So long as she had the support of her loved ones and believed in herself, she was sure to overcome any obstacle that came her way. And if she was ever stuck on something, she knew she always had someone beside her to help her out...just as she would always help him when he was in trouble.

With those words in mind, the woman began her work with a bright smile on her face, humming and giggling as Izuku came by to do his part, when they heard their doorbell ring just as they finished. Excited, the pair took off their aprons, set their meals on the table, and made their way to the door, where they welcomed in the guest that would be staying with them for the next few days with open arms.

"Hi, Mr. Deku! Hi, Ms. Ocha!"

"Eri!"

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, Heroes. Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter of the Domestic Heroes prequel. A bit more serious than the last one, but hey, it brought Eri into the fold. Been waiting to bring her in and I hope you all like her as much as you did before, because she'll be here for the next couple chapters. She's one of my favorite characters in the series and I am happy to finally get to use her in Domestic Heroes again. Look forward to the classic cute interactions, everyone! It'll be a treat. With that said, thank you all so much for reading my works. I hope you all have a wonderful day and I will see you tomorrow for the next update!

Until then, farewell. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!


	5. Theme 5: Muse

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

5th Moment: The Muse of a Child Hero

Izuku sighed in content as he relaxed in his bathtub, enjoying the warm water and smell of strawberry from the bathbomb Ochako used while setting it up. He had just come back from a rather messy mission Mina and another friend of his, Minoru 'Grape Juice' Mineta, and really needed to get clean. The miniature hero with sticky hair left to join an agency overseas shortly after graduation, but sometimes came back to visit his family. He was in the middle of visiting Izuku, who was doing some side work for Gran Torino at the time, when both got roped into assisting Izuku's acid-creating partner in apprehending a villain that suspiciously looked like the sludge monster that Izuku first encountered in middle school. It wasn't the same one, oddly, but a villain that was able to manipulate mud and used it as a thick and slick set of armor, much to the annoyance of the trio. The villain was also surprisingly nimble despite being in a suit of wet earth, evading air blasts, acid waves and hairballs quite easily. In the end, they managed to subdue the mud man by having Minoru lay so many sticky hairballs on the ground that the villain had a hard time to move around, forcing it to jump to where Mina was hidden and allowing her to slime the target in a special acid that ended up hardening the mud, allowing Izuku to land the final blow and break the armor, revealing a weak and tired old man. The mission itself was actually quite exhilarating for Izuku, though he did wish he didn't end up covered head to toe in hardened mud, slimy acid, and sticky hair by the end of it.

"At least I managed to get most of the hair and mud off of me before I came home. Ochako would've been really upset if I made a mess of the floor after she just finished cleaning it," Izuku muttered to himself as he sunk deeper into the tub. His girlfriend was still on recovery leave after her rather dangerous mission a week ago and spent her free time cleaning their apartment and dote on Eri, who was staying with them for a few days while Aizawa was away to handle a kidnapping operation. It was honestly cute seeing Ochako be so motherly to the white-haird child, and there were some moments where he couldn't help but imagine her acting as such to a child that looked like her but with his hair and freckles. A thought that would always leave him in a blushing mess whenever he realized what he was imagining.

_Their combined adorableness is going to be the death of me…_ He thought as he got up from the tub, feeling clean enough, and proceeded to dry himself before putting on his usual lounge garb that Ochako set aside for him near the sink. Dressed much more comfortably, he left the bathroom and made his way to the kitchen to grab a snack when he spotted his little visitor sitting on the kitchen table with a stack of papers beside her, coloring pencils on hand, and a look of serious concentration on her face. It was such a cute and bright sight that Izuku's heart, and face, couldn't help but clench almost immediately. An act that certainly caught the attention of the horned child.

"Mr. Deku? Are you ok? Your face looks really funny," Eri, dressed in a cute light blue nightgown with a snowflake design, asked.

"I'm fine, Eri. I just...saw something I wasn't exactly prepared to see," Izuku said after taking a moment to calm himself, smiling at the confused red eyes that were staring at him. "What are you doing, by the way? And where's Ochako?"

"Ms. Ocha is in her room. She was playing and cleaning with me all day and wanted to take a little nap. Mr. Mikan is with her and sleeping, too," Eri explained, causing Izuku to shake his head.

"She can take werewolves and living, boxing matchsticks with ease, but leave her alone with house duties and babysitting and she tuckers herself out quick. I guess she hasn't completely recovered from her last mission…" Izuku said to himself before turning to Eri with a smile. "Thanks for telling me, Eri. And by the way, you don't need to be formal here. You've known me and Ochako for a long time and Mikan really likes you. You can drop the Mr. and Ms. for us."

"Oh…I know. It's just…a little hard for me to not say Mr. and Ms., sometimes. Mr. Aizawa said to always be polite to people, and..."

"I get, Eri. I was the same way when I was younger. It took me a very long time to stop being so formal to my friends. Even now I still slip up sometimes," Izuku confessed with a chuckle, getting a giggle out of Eri, before walking closer to her. "So you're drawing now, huh? How many pictures have you made yet? Can I see?"

"...I didn't make anything yet," Eri confessed, causing Izuku to look at her oddly. "I was trying to draw while Ms O… I mean, Ocha was asleep, but I can't think of anything. I haven't drawn anything lately, either. Is… Is there something wrong with me, Deku?"

"Huh? Oh, there's nothing wrong with you, Eri! Really! You just...lost your muse, is all! There's nothing for you to worry about!" Izuku assured in a frantic manner, letting out a quiet sigh of relief when her worried expression was replaced by one of confusion.

"My...muse?"

"Yeah. Your inspiration. Something that gives you the drive to work on your art. A lot of artists and writers have muses that help them make their works, and you're no different. Maybe the reason why you haven't been able to draw anything is because there hasn't been anything that inspired you to draw," Izuku said calmly as he sat down beside her and gave her a gentle smile.

"Muse… Inspiration… Do you have anything like that, Deku?" Eri asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Well...muses are usually exclusive to art, but it does also mean inspiration. I guess you can say that people like All Might, Kacchan and Ochako would be my muses. They're my main sources of inspiration when it comes to being a hero, so that probably works," Izuku explained as well as he could, scratching his face with a single finger as his smile turned more sheepish.

"Mr. Toshi, Mr. Kacchan and Ocha…" Eri repeated slowly as she focused on her blank papers, as if taking in what Izuku had said, before turning back to him with an expression that was quite serious for a young child like her. "I… I think I know what my muse is, Deku. I know what I want to draw, too."

"That's great, Eri. I'm happy for you. I'll let you focus on your drawing then. Let me know when you finish, ok? I can't wait to see it," Izuku said sweetly, giving the girl a gentle head rub and soft kiss on the top of her head before leaving her to her devices, jumping at the sight of a certain woman smirking at him when he rounded the corner in the living area. "O-Ochako? I thought you were taking a nap!"

"I was until Mikan woke me up. Little guy needed to use the litter box so he made me get up so he could go. I was gonna tell him to wait until you were done, since his box is in the bathroom, until I noticed you talking to Eri," Ochako explained while pointing a thumb over towards the bathroom, where Mikan was limping proudly towards them with a bit of toilet paper stuck on one of its back paws, before she pressed a finger on his chest and gave him a teasing stare. "So… I'm your muse, eh? Up there with your favorite hero and your childhood friend, even. Boy, don't I feel flattered. Say, you up for a little drawing right now? I don't mind being your model for it. It'll be just like old times."

"Oh don't remind me of the truth or dare incident during our third year, Ochako. That was such an embarrassing game… And I had to use an entire notebook for that darn dare…" Izuku grumbled as his cheeks flared, groaning slightly when Ochako started to laugh a little too loudly for his liking.

"What do you have to be embarrassed about? Your drawings of me and the others were super good! All those years working on those hero notebooks gave you plenty of practice doing portraits and stuff like that! You should really hone that skill of yours. I bet you'd be an awesome artist if you did," Ochako insisted while nudging Izuku's stomach with her elbow.

"Doing sketches of people for analysis and making actual pieces of art are two entirely different things, Ochako. I'm ok at it, but I'm not amazing," Izuku insisted while looking away bashfully.

"Hush! Your art is great! I think it and the others think it! Heck, even Eri will love it if she sees that art notebook. In fact, I think I still have it stashed away somewhere. I'm gonna go look for it!" Ochako exclaimed, her giddy mannerisms surprising Izuku and putting him in a panic.

"Wait, no! Don't show Eri my notebook!" He called out to Ochako as she rushed away to their room, following her frantically and leaving their bewildered cat alone in the hall.

"Deku? Ocha?" Eri's soft voice called out, followed shortly by her head peeking into the hallway from the kitchen. "Mikan? Is everything ok? Where did Deku and Ocha go?"

"Mow," The cat chirped as it used its tail to point at the door that led to Izuku and Ochako's bedroom, where a multitude of shouts, laughter, and other noises were heard.

"Mmm… They must be busy now that Ocha is awake. I'll leave them be," She said to herself before walking up to the cat and picked it up. "Do you want to see my drawing, Mikan? Deku helped me find my muse and I really like how I made it. It's not done yet, but it should still be ok to see."

Mikan chirped again, causing Eri to giggle as she made her way back to the kitchen table. Once there, she climbed back on her seat and set the cat on the table before showing it her art, who meowed in possible approval. Giggling once more, the child resumed her work, humming happily as she did so. After a few more minutes, she paused to check her progress, nodding proudly to herself for her success, before being called out by a very happy Ochako. Curious, she grabbed Mikan from the table and made her way to the couch, where she found her hosts waiting for her with a notebook in hand. She was confused at first, but when an oddly depressed Izuku told her it was his own book of art, she became very eager and practically dove into it, much to the amusement and horror of her respective hosts. Not long after Eri started gushing to Izuku about his work did he leave the room in embarrassment, leaving behind the girls and cat to shift through the book that was his impending end. He made his way to the kitchen, hoping a snack would calm him down, when he came across something that made him still in shock.

There, on the table, was Eri's current work: A drawing of him, his older friend Mirio, Ochako, Aizawa, and a few others as well. The ones that have helped her grow to become the happy and cheerful child she was now. It was then that Izuku learned that Eri's muse, her inspiration, was them. Was him. That fact made him tear up a little. He was already aware that Eri looked up to him, but seeing physical proof of it still made him feel emotional. Laughing to himself and spirit freed from embarrassment, he went over to a nearby fruit basket by the counter and grabbed a few apples for himself and the others to enjoy. If he was going to be Eri's muse, then he's going to be the best muse as possible…

...Even at the price of her seeing his less than stellar artwork.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, Heroes. Hope you enjoyed this cute little chapter of the Domestic Heroes prequel. I had a bit of fun with this piece, especially at the end. Also, I would like to apologize in advance for any inconsistencies between this and the actual Domestic Heroes. It's been some time since I've done work on the series and there are bound to be some mix-ups as a result. Hopefully it doesn't deter you all from enjoying my work. Next chapter's gonna be a bit more on the serious side, but still with enough classic fluff that you all love. Look forward to that. With that said, thank you all for enjoying my work. I wish you all a wonderful day and I will see you tomorrow for the next chapter.

Until then, farewell. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!


	6. Theme 6: Flight

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

6th Moment: To Soar with You

"C'mon, Deku, you can do it! Just a little longer!"

"It's…getting too…much…"

"You're doing great! Don't give in now!"

"How…do you manage…to pull…this off…yourself?"

"Hard work and determination! Something you have in spades! Just a few more seconds!"

"I… I…"

"Time!"

"_Waah!_"

*_thud*_

Ochako smiled widely as she walked over to where Izuku had landed, water and medicine in hand. Now that she had fully recovered from her mission, she had decided to help the rising hero with his Quirk training at a special room in the dojo she worked in and she couldn't help but feel proud with how far he had gotten. Ever since she was told about the details of Izuku's past during their time in UA, including One for All, All for One, and some of All Might's history, she had been working hard in order to help him master such an amazing power. The fact that her boyfriend was gifted such a Quirk by his favorite hero and remained the sweet, humble boy she first met spoke volumes towards his character as well. Initially she felt a bit discouraged after learning everything, wondering if she deserved to stay with Izuku or was capable of even being able to help him with something so complex. However, with the assurance of Izuku himself, along with All Might and even Katsuki in his own, brash way, she found the resolve to do all she could to aid her partner to be the hero he was meant to be. He was helping her to achieve her own dream, after all. It was only fair that she'd do the same.

"Deku, that was so good. You managed to float for a good hour before having to come down. That's much better than how you first started!" She said as she kneeled beside him and handed him the water and medicine.

"Yeah… I suppose. Not as good as your time, though … Not by a long shot…" Izuku said slowly, rubbing his head as if it was in pain as he accepted Ochako's gifts.

"Deku, I've had my Quirk for as long as I can remember. I'm more or less used to the strain it gives me, especially after all the training we've done together. You just unlocked your new Float powers recently and are still getting used to it. Sure, you're not getting it as fast as that Black Whip power, but it's still cool how far you've improved," Ochako insisted while giving him a gentle back rub.

It was only towards the end of their final year in UA that Izuku had unlocked the Quirk that once belonged to All Might's predecessor: Nana Shimura, and unlike the base power of One for All or Black Whip, the first Predecessor Quirk he unlocked, he was struggling quite a bit to control the power. The two were training together at the time the power was discovered and the two initially thought that Ochako had made him float on accident again, only to learn differently when releasing her Quirk did nothing. After meeting with All Might for more details, the two were determined to properly control such a useful Quirk as quickly as possible. It was a lot more slow-going compared to his other abilities, but he was definitely getting better. The tips she was giving her helped quite a bit as well. She was well versed in floating herself, after all.

"Is that headache of yours gone yet? You don't look as bad as last time," Ochako asked gently as she went to scratch his head.

"Just about… The medicine helps a lot. Thanks a lot for giving them to me," Izuku said while giving her a weak smile.

"I always have a stash of medicine on hand for my Quirk training. Never hurts to have others on hand just in case. Still, I find it funny that both of us get sick in some way when we use our floating powers," Ochako said as she held out her hand and picked Izuku up.

"Yeah, but where yours makes your stomach churn because of the weightlessness, I get migraines from concentrating too hard…" Izuku grumbled as he walked towards the exit to the dojo, and Ochako couldn't help but frown at his attitude.

_He's really beating himself up hard about this. I wonder what's up? Is it because the Quirk he's practicing belonged to All Might's mentor?_ She thought as she followed the stewing hero back to their apartment, It was a quiet and awkward walk, and Ochako couldn't help but worry about Izuku the more she looked at him. She took the chance to clasp her hand with his and give him a reassuring smile, hoping to alleviate a bit of his frustration. It worked slightly if the light blush and added softness in his face were anything to go by, but he still seemed upset by the time they made it to their apartment. It was off putting to see him in such a state, so she was going to do what she can in order to better his mood.

Thankfully, she had two helpful and adorable assistants this time to give her a hand. And said assistants perked up as soon as the couple entered their home.

"Deku! Ocha! Are you done with training?" Eri asked as she got up from the floor to greet them with Mikan in her arms.

"Yes, Eri. We're done for now. Sorry for not bringing you with us but the training we needed to do isn't something most people can see. Were you ok being here on your own for a little bit?" Ochako asked sweetly while gently petting Eri's head.

"Yes! Mikan and I had a lot of fun together! I even did a few drawings of you and Deku together! Do you want to see them?" Eri asked as she pointed at the little pile of paper on the floor.

"Maybe later, Eri. I need to lie down for a moment. Training was a bit rough today for me. I hope you understand," Izuku said with a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes before walking towards the bedroom, causing Ochako to sigh at his actions.

"...Did I do something wrong?" Eri asked worriedly, her eyes welling up.

"No, sweetie, you didn't do anything wrong. Deku's just upset that training didn't go as well as he'd like. He'll feel better soon, I promise," Ochako assured while giving her a tight hug. "Say, how about we work together to make him happy? Today's your last day with us before you have to go back to Mr. Aizawa, after all. Let's end it on a good note for all of us."

"I like that…" Eri muttered while nodding into the hug, getting a proud smile out of Ochako as she let go, when she saw a thoughtful look on the child's face. "Um… May I use your phone? I…want to talk to someone really quick, if that's ok."

"...Sure, sweetie. You can use it. Who do you plan to call?" Ochako questioned while handing Eri her device.

"...Secret," She muttered before running over to the guest room, much to the woman's confusion.

"...Must've needed to talk to Aizawa or something," Ochako said to herself while shaking her head before making her way to the kitchen. "Now… Maybe I can make a little something special to cheer Deku up. I think I got the recipe for his mom's katsudon and Sato's cake hidden here. Now where are they…"

Idea in mind, Ochako scoured her kitchen to find the recipes in question, which didn't take too long, thankfully. It was also a good thing that she had all the ingredients needed to make everything. After getting her phone back from Eri, who told her she was going to start making a special drawing for Izuku, the young hero got to work on making the special dishes. She also mentally thanked both her friend and her boyfriend's mother for the extra cooking tips so she could give her cake a bit of extra personality to it. Satisfied with the look of her bunny-shaped cake, she set it into the oven and was about to start her work on the Midoriya-style Katsudon when she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey, Deku. You feelin' better?" She asked gently, a soft smile on her face as she patted the strong, scarred arms clinging to her.

"Yeah. I am. Thanks for asking," Izuku's voice answered in a subdued tone, and Ochako could only roll her eyes in a bemused manner as she realized what was about to happen next. "Ochako… I-"

"I know what you're gonna say, Deku. You don't have to apologize. It's understandable to feel frustrated when things aren't going your way," Ochako assured, giggling when she felt him sigh against the back of her neck.

"I still want to apologize, though. My frustration shouldn't have made me act the way I did to you and Eri. Neither of you deserve that. And on Eri's last day with us, no less," Izuku continued on, prompting Ochako to huff in annoyance before grabbing the spatula she used for the cake and smacked him in the face with it, causing him to yelp and let her go. "Hey! What was that for?!"

"To get you to stop being mopey. I know you feel bad, but stuff like this happens all the time. Especially t' people like us. You remember how I was when I first learned about your secret? How harsh I was with myself and wonderin' if I even deserve to know what I do now? And how _you _got me out of that funk?" She stated while poking his chest with the batter-covered cooking utensil, her accent starting to pick up. "I'm doin' the same thing you did for me. I'm not gonna let you beat yerself over something like this. Just because the Quirk you're usin' belonged to All Might's master, doesn't mean you have t' rush yourself to control it. Take your time with your trainin', Deku. Your Quirk ain't goin' nowhere. All Might is already proud of you for what you've become, there's no need to further please him by doin' this…"

"Wha… You…"

"Surprised that I caught on, huh? You're an open book to me, Deku," Ochako said with a smirk, enjoying the surprised look on his slightly messy face. "I meant it when I said you're makin' great progress with your floatin' powers. Do you have any idea how long it took me to reach the level you're at when I'm tryin' to float myself? You've come a long way since we were teenagers, but you still need t' have more confidence in yerself an' see how much you've accomplished already. You have a bad habit of missin' stuff like that, ya know."

"Yeah… I know. It's just...really hard for me to see how much I've progressed. I'm just so focused on what I think I need to do that I miss what I'm already able to do," Izuku admitted bashfully before giving Ochako a sheepish smile. "I guess I should be thankful that you're by my side. You always seem to see what I miss. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd be a mess, that's for sure. And I don't mean the one I made on your face right now," Ochako snickered, her accent dying down as she walked over and gave her lover a peck on his messy cheek, enjoying his flushed expression as she licked the batter off her lips. "Now, how's about ya go hang out with Eri for a bit while I finish up with dinner. It's cake and katsudon today and I'm makin' lots of it. Can't be upset with a full stomach, after all."

"Haha. I suppose you got a point there. I'll be with Eri, then. At least let us know when the cake is done so we can decorate it. I know this whole thing is to cheer me up, but I like to contribute _something, _at least," Izuku requested as his blush slowly started to fade.

"Deal. Now go be a father and hang out with Eri while I keep up my mother act and cook for you all," Ochako grinned with her free hand on her hip and her other one pointing at the doorway with the spatula, more than a little amused at his flustered response to his words as he made his exit. "...I've been spending too much time with Mina and the others to be teasing him like this so much. The faces he makes are way too cute, I swear."

Satisfied that her words helped, the young woman went back to her cooking, another giggle escaping her lips when she heard Eri call out the spot on Izuku's cheek and Mikan meowing hungrily. She couldn't help but love the little moments of levity she had with the two, and even felt like they were all one big happy family. She felt her heart soar and face growing hot just thinking of that. These moments weren't going to last, though, since Eri would be back with Aizawa the next day, so she was going to make sure to squeeze every bit of enjoyment they had left together. Sighing happily to herself, she proceeded to get the four bowls of katsudon ready, three normal sized ones and an extra small one for Mikan, when she heard the door knock. Confused, she made her way out of the kitchen when Eri suddenly called out saying she was going to answer, and it was only when she heard a very loud and very familiar voice did she figure out why the girl did what she did.

"I AM HERE!"

"A-All Might!?"

"Hi, Mr. Toshinori!"

_She called All Might over so he could make Deku feel better! Wow… What a bright girl she is. I am so proud of her._ Ochako thought, eyes welling up at the resourcefulness of the little hero-to-be. Blinking away her tears, Ochako grabbed a fifth bowl from the cabanent and thanked herself that the cake she made was fairly large. Now her home had a much bigger family feel to it and she couldn't be happier. She sorely wished for more of these days to come…and for that, she was set to make sure to keep her home, her loved ones, safe from harm. It was her job to preserve days like this and she was going to give it her all in order to accomplish it.

"Maybe I should ask All Might about his master's quirk so Deku and I can learn about it. Maybe that'll help Deku figure out the trick to it. The sooner that happens, the sooner the two of us can soar together to keep the day safe," She said to herself just as the oven timer went off, prompting her to call Izuku and Eri over to help decorate the cake as she got out various frostings and sprinkles she had hidden away. It was the last thing the two would do together as a trio and she wanted to have as much fun with it as possible…

Unaware that, in just a few short weeks, their little arrangement would become a bit more...permanent.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello again, Heroes. Enjoyed this new chapter of the Domestic Heroes prequel. Did a bit of a different take on the Flight theme here, so I hope it was still a decent read for you all. It was pretty convenient that the details of Izuku's Quirk happened not long after IzuOcha week was announced. I will be honest in that this chapter is a bit...weak compared to the rest. I planned to have it a bit longer and with an actual interaction between Ochako, Izuku and All Might regarding Nana. Maybe I'll revise this chapter later on, but for now, this will do. Tomorrow will be the final chapter, everyone, so look forward to the piece that will tie this work to Domestic Heroes. Look forward to that, everyone!With that said, thank you all so much for reading my works! I wish you all a wonderful day and I will see you all for the final update!

Until next time, farewell. And remember: Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!


	7. Theme 7: New Addition

Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments

Final Moment: Welcome to the Family

"...I can't believe we're actually doing this. I mean, this is something that I was expecting to happen eventually, but not for another few years at least. Not to mention we're skipping a few steps to get to this point. Hmm… This is going to change everything. It won't be easy, not by a long shot, but Ochako and I should be able to handle this. We have to. For her sake…"

Izuku grunted to himself as he looked at the documents in his hands intensely. He was sitting in his living room after doing a bit of cleanup and was taking a small break when he came across the papers he left on the table. Before he even realized it, he found himself on his couch and going through everything that was written, a serious expression marred his face as he did so. It was a habit whenever he was reading important works, and what he had was no different. What he had in his hands, however, was different from the documents he normally read. Even though he was still relatively new in the hero scene, he would sometimes get classified information on cases he worked on due to his association with Gran Torino and, occasionally, Endeavor through his friend Shoto Todoroki.

In his hands, however, were documents that were more important to him than anything regarding hero work. They were, after all, the key to give a certain child the life that they deserved…

"Deku! The room's finished! Could you come here and check to see how it looks? You know her preferences more than I… Oh." Ochako's voice called out from another room, growing quiet when she no doubt saw Izuku on the couch with the documents. "Reading through them again, huh? Can't say I'm surprised. I did the same thing myself before I started with her new room. This is a big step for all of us, after all. I'm still in disbelief that this is actually happening, to be honest."

"Me too. I mean, I know we made the decision already back at Aizawa's apartment a few weeks back, but it still hasn't fully sunk in that we're...you know," Izuku said, fumbling when he gestured to the papers in his hand, were a certain name popped out amongst the hundreds of words: Eri Midoriya.

"Technically speaking, it's you who's gonna be a parent. I'm just along for the ride," Ochako joked as she sat down next to Izuku.

"She may have my family's name, but she's under both our care. You're gonna be a mother just as much as I'm gonna be a father," Izuku countered before backing away with a bewildered expression. "Wow… I never thought I'd hear myself say that. Not this soon at least."

"Glad to know you've been thinking of us having a family in the future," Ochako said with a laugh, causing Izuku to blush when he realized what he said, before hearing his partner sigh. "Still, to think that the two of us are going to become legal guardians to Eri now. It's only been a couple months at most since her last visit and now she's gonna be with us permanently. Things are going to be very different here from now on… I hope the two of us will be able to handle it."

"I'm sure we will, Ochako. We've dealt with tough situations like this in the past and this is no different. At least we won't be alone in this endeavor. We have another companion with us that'll make things easier, even if he does sometimes steals things and set our stuff on fire," Izuku assured as he placed an arm around Ochako and turned his head towards the television, where a certain orange tabby was looking back at him with 'innocent' eyes.

Indeed, the couple and cat were about to gain a new member to their home in the form of their most recent visitor: Eri. Only a week or so after she had returned to Aizawa, the couple were called by said man to help take care of Eri, who had gotten sick at the time. During that time the two showed how well they did in trying to make the young girl feel better and that, combined with the knowledge of the visit and past experiences in UA, prompted their former teacher to request that the pair take her in. Apparently the underground hero's life was going to be much busier in the coming future, and as a result, he would not be able to provide Eri with the attention and care that she would require for much longer. Because of that, he had been looking for someone to take her in, and that was where Ochako and Izuku came to the picture. He had other options in mind to raise the girl, but those options were in similar situations as him or were already too busy with their own lives to be able to raise a child. Izuku and Ochako, on the other hand, proved to be able to handle it thanks to Eri's visit and the recent trip to Aizawa's apartment to help heal the girl solidified the fact.

When the man proposed the question to the pair on the day the two came to see the sick child, they were stunned to say the least, and initially declined the offer, suggesting that there were other people better qualified to raise Eri. Aizawa, however, countered their points by explaining the situations of the ones they thought would be good at raising Eri and pointing out how efficient they were in trying to heal the sickly girl just moments before he made the proposal...even if it did require Ochako to take over his kitchen for a moment. With other points brought out, along with memories of the recent visit, the pair relented and accepted their offer, effectively becoming Eri's new parents in all but name. It was going to be a challenge for them, do doubt about it, but after seeing the look on the recovered Eri's face when she was told the news…they were determined to make it work.

It also helped that some of their friends pitched in to help when they heard the news.

"We really need to thank Yaomomo and Todoroki for providing us with a new TV for Eri and Kaminari that game system. That will help ease her boredom a little when both of us are busy on weekends," Ochako said absentmindedly while laying her head on Izuku's shoulder.

"Yeah. And Ashido made a good call with the paint combinations for Eri's room. The color really suits her. Though I have to wonder where Asui got all those stuffed animals and art supplies," Izuku mused as he looked down at the table in thought.

"I think most of them are gifts from her little sister. They hit it off really well when they first met, so it shouldn't be surprising to hear that she asked Tsu to give Eri some of her stuffed animals once she heard about the move," Ochako suggested, getting a nod from Izuku in response.

_*knock knock*_

"The door? Is Eri here already? I thought she wasn't coming for another few hours…" Izuku questioned as he got up from the couch to answer the door, only to jump in surprise when he saw who was visiting. "A-Aizawa, sir! W-We weren't expecting to see you so soon! Is Eri with you?"

"Not at the moment. She's in UA right now saying goodbye to the instructors there. Not like she needed to, though. She's only moving to another apartment, not another city…" The tired form of Shota "Eraserhead" Aizawa grumbled before quirking an eyebrow at Izuku's direction. "...Checking out the forms again? It still hasn't sunk in yet that you and Uraraka are now Eri's legal guardians, I assume."

"And an official member of the family to boot. I wasn't expecting to have her be adopted under my name when Ochako and I agreed to take her in...but I honestly can't complain…" Izuku confessed while smiling fondly at the papers before the sound of someone clearing their throat snapped him out of it. "Oh! S-Sorry, sir! Please come in! Do you want anything to drink? I can get you something if you-"

"Calm down, Problem Child, you're acting like you did back in UA when you did something stupid," The man said as he entered the appartment, looking around the place and nodding slightly in approval. "This is a good home for Eri. It's close to the school she's being transferred to, your respective jobs are close by so you can get to her quick, and some of your former classmates live nearby, so they would be able to assist you faster than if she stayed with me."

"Aizawa!" Ochako exclaimed in a startled manner, practically flying off her couch while Mikan turned to the tired man with interest.

"At ease, Uraraka. I'm simply here to see if this place is good for Eri to stay in for formality's sake. I'm confident enough that you two would be able to take care of her well enough in a place like this, but Social Services would get on my case if I don't do at least this," The man said evenly as Mikan started limping over to him, causing a tiny smile to form on his face. "Personally, a check in is completely unnecessary. Any place that is home to a properly-cared rescue cat is more than a suitable place to me. It also shows me that you two are capable of adapting to additional members in your household."

_I would argue that raising a cat is a lot different than raising a child, but considering Mikan's human level intelligence and general attitude, it really does feel like we've been raising a sweet, if mischievous, child for a year._ Izuku thought in defeat as he watched Mikan rub its face on his former teacher's leg.

"You make a good point, sir. Taking care of Mikan has been like taking care of a kid of our own. I guess we were more prepared to take Eri in than I thought," Ochako said as she walked over to Aizawa and picked Mikan up from the floor, who then proceeded to bat at his scarf playfully.

"You just barely see it now. You two have been on my list ever since you took in the tabby. Anyone who can give a home to someone who has a similar history to our principal is more than ready to take in a child. The fact that you two were part of the group that rescued her in the first place just adds to your credibility. Social Services really need to get their eyes checked when I decide who is capable of raising a time-bending super kid," The man scoffed while gently patting Mikan on the head, causing both hosts to sweatdrop at both his words and his interaction with their cat.

"Glad to know you have so much confidence in us, sir…" Izuku said with a sheepish laugh as he moved to stand beside Ochako, flinching when Aizawa turned to him with a glare.

"That is because I have seen what both of you are capable of. I know your personalities. Your strengths and weaknesses. If I wasn't confident in you two to take Eri in, I wouldn't have asked in the first place. If anything, you two need to be more confident with yourselves," The man stated sternly, his words causing both Izuku and Ochako to look at him in shock as he let out a disgruntled sigh. " You have proven time and again that you are able to pull off the most difficult of tasks and come out on top. This is no different. If you don't think you can't handle this, that you two are truly not ready for this, then hurry up and tell me. I'll be able to take Eri in for a little longer until I find someone else, and I'm sure she'll understand, if a little disappointed, that you two aren't able to take her in with how busy you two can be."

The couple flinched at the disappointed tone in the hero's voice, turning to each other unsurely as they processed what he said. Were they truly ready to take Eri in? It was true that their lives have been fairly busy as of late. The only reason they were able to watch over Eri so well during her last visit was because Ochako was on medical leave, giving her the time needed to be with the girl. Even with the additional help they'll most likely get from their peers, it would be very difficult to make the time to give Eri the proper care and attention she needed. Did they jump the gun when they accepted Aizawa's request? Were they too caught up in the moment to properly think that they were ready. Can they-

"Meku! Rocha!"

The two jumped again, this time to see Mikan, who had left Ochako's grasp and was now in Aizawa's, staring back at them intensely and having actually attempted to speak. It was a very rare occurrence to hear the cat attempt to talk, and every time it surprised them. The two were confused for a moment, wondering why their cat chose now to attempt to talk to them, when they realized what it was trying to convey. They were ready to take Eri in because, as Aizawa pointed out earlier, they had experience raising Mikan; the cat that acted more human than animal. A being that was no different than their former principal, and have done so for a significant amount of time. Ever since the pair rescued it during their first joint mission together, the two spared no expense in taking care of it like it was their own. To them, Mikan really was a son to them, and Mikan believed them to be its parents. And now, it was reaffirming that fact. That they were more than capable of taking in another… That Eri would be ok living with them…

That it was more than happy to have another addition to the family.

"...You're right, sir. We are more than able to take Eri in," Izuku said firmly with a nod.

"It won't be easy, but neither was raising Mikan. If we can handle him, then Eri will be no problem at all," Ochako assured with her fists up to her chest.

"Hmph. Now that's what I like to see. Can't believe it took a cat looking at you funny to find your resolve again, but I suppose I can't complain," Aizawa said with a soft chuckle as Mikan lept out of his arms and onto Izuku's shoulders. "Well, looks like you're all set. I'll go get Eri, then. Good luck with parenthood, you two. Consider this...practice for what's to come in your inevitable future. So long as you stay out of trouble at least…"

The two blushed hard, their previous intensity quickly replaced with embarrassment as they watched Aizawa leave their home with a satisfied smirk. Even Mikan was snickering at their expense, much to their annoyance. Desperate to get their minds out of the gutter, the two went back to their cleaning, making sure everything was ready for their new arrival. It was only an hour after Aizawa's visit that the door was being knocked again, and this time the couple knew who it was. With bright smiles on their faces, the two raced over to the doorway, Mikan still on Izuku's shoulder, and proceeded to bring in the newest member of their family to her new home.

It was the start of a new life for Izuku and Ochako, but they can handle it. They were up and coming heroes after all. And whatever challenge they face, they face them together…

"Hi, Deku… Hi Ocha… Hi Mikan… I…I'm home."

"Hi, Eri. Welcome home."

"Welcome home, sweetie."

"Reri. Mome."

…Together as a family. And…as Domestic Heroes.

* * *

Author's Note:

And that is that, Heroes! Hope you all enjoyed Domestic Heroes: The Early Moments! I know I enjoyed writing it. It's...honestly been quite some time since I've finished a work like this. It feels nice to finally have a completed project after all this time. Kinda surprised I managed to pull it off, considering my busy schedule, but hey, I can't complain!

Now, with this story, and IzuOcha week done, I am gonna be focusing on a major project for a while. Right now I'm in the process of reworking Trials of the Trickster, actually rewriting parts of it to make it look nicer and flow better. I won't be removing chapters this time, but I do suggest you check in every so often to see the changes. The refined story is also going to be ported over to Ao3, so those of you who prefer that site will have a good time. While I'm working on that, I am also going to try and finish My Anniversary Academia and try and port Domestic Heroes: Road to Matrimony over here as well. Hopefully my motivation won't leave me partway through again. Sadly, Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride might end up being removed at some point. I haven't been able to come up with anything for it for quite some time and I even lost what little I had planned for it. Apologies for those who actually liked it, but it is for the best. In any event, thank you all so much for following The Early Moments! It means so much to me that you all stuck around for it! I wish you all a wonderful day and I will see you in the next story! Until next time, then. Remember to always Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!

See you soon, Heroes! And look forward to what's to come...Tricksters. The Royal is almost among us, after all...


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